STUDENT RESEARCH USING
HUMAN SUBJECTS
Scott Bergstrom
Institutional Research
March 15, 2013
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
1
Agenda
1.
Why do we limit the number of subjects for
student research?
2.
What are the laws and local rules governing
research activity on campus?
3.
What resources are available to students?
4.
What topics are out of bounds for student
researchers? How do we handle student
researchers who want to investigate sensitive
topics?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
2
1. Why do we limit the number of subjects for
student research?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
3
1. Why do we limit the number of subjects for
student research?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
4
1. Why do we limit the number of subjects for
student research?
Significance: 2 surveys per student each semester
Plus 3 end-of-semester surveys: Housing Survey, Survey
of Graduating Students, and Course Evaluations
Plus a variety of administrative surveys throughout.
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
5
1. Why do we limit the number of subjects for
student research?
Practice:
Student online surveys are given 100 to 300 subjects
(i.e., email addresses). Senior-level research classes
are eligible for 400 to 500.
Questions:
• Does this hurt your ability to teach students proper
research methods?
• Is there a better way to allocate subjects?
• What happens when each student gets many more
requests to participate in surveys in a semester?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
6
Considerations for Online Surveys
•
•
•
•
•
•
Do students really need to collect data or can they work from
existing data sets?
Can intercepts, observations, focus groups, interviews, or
phone surveys work just as well?
Do you ensure that your students are professional in their
invitations to participate in research?
Can students get by with a simple random sample instead of
an esoteric stratified or cluster sample?
How early in the semester can the survey be administered?
(The last three weeks of the semester are very challenging)
Will continued increases in online surveying degrade
response rates and eventually “kill the goose that lays our
golden eggs?”
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
7
2. What are the laws and rules?
Federal Laws (45 CFR Part 46)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Research is “a systematic investigation…designed to
develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” If study
goes outside classroom, it involves generalizing knowledge.
The online registration process ensures proper oversight.
Most student research is considered ‘exempt’ from IRB
review.
Any research which targets minors or other vulnerable
populations must be reviewed by the BYU-Idaho IRB.
Human subjects must be presented with some form of
informed consent.
Researchers must understand and mitigate any potential
risks and/or harm to their subjects.
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
8
2. What are the laws and rules?
University Rules
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
All studies using human subjects must be registered.
Students should not generate their own samples without
permission. The university will generate random samples for
the projects.
Students should not request class time for their research
activity UNLESS it is part of the course curriculum or in
harmony with department protocol.
Students are not allowed to mass email employees. They
can conduct limited phone or face-to-face interviews.
Intercepting or videotaping in the library is not allowed.
Students should avoid overly intrusive research activities.
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
9
2. What are the laws and rules?
Practice:
Enforce the federal laws and university rules.
Questions:
• Do you teach these to your students? Do students
follow them?
• Do we need a centralized way of communicating
these laws and rules to students? Example: a
university-wide human subjects tutorial?
• Do any of local rules interfere with your ability to
teach students proper research methods?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
10
3. What resources are available to students?
Qualtrics is available at no cost
to BYU-Idaho students and
faculty
www.byui.qualtrics.com
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
11
3. What resources are available to students?
Practice:
Provide Qualtrics and samples.
Questions:
• Are there other resources which the university
could provide? Example: Access to data sets.
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
12
4. Sensitive topics?
Practice:
• Discourage research which investigates the
religious, moral, or spiritual behaviors and attitudes
of student body or Church members.
• Evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
Questions:
• Have we been too restrictive?
• What topics are out of bounds for student
researchers?
• How do we handle student researchers who want
to investigate sensitive topics?
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
13
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho
© 2008 Brigham Young University–Idaho